Apparatus xob  hautji-actubing gas



I. ABSTERDAM.

Carbureter.

No. 20,534. Patented June 15, 1858.

AM. PHOTO-LITHO-QNX. (OSBDRNES PROCESS.)

w UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ABSTERDAM, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

.APPARATUS FOR, MANUFACTURING- GAS.

Specificaton of Letters Patent No. 20,534, dated June 15, 1858.

To all whom 'it may concem:

Be it known that I, JOHN ABSTERDAM, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Apparatus forImpregnating Either Air or Gas with the Vapors of a Hydrocarbon Liquid;and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and representedin the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of whichFigure 1, denotes a side elevation. Fig. 2, a Vertical and longitudinalsection, and Fig. 3, a horizontal and transverse section.

In these drawings, A, exhibits a cylindrical case divided horizontallyby four or any other suitable number of plates or partitions a, b, c,(Z, arranged with respect to one another as shown in Fig. 2, suchpartitions serving to divide the cylindrical case into several separatechambers, B, C, D, E, and F. From the middle of the partitions b, (Z, orevery other partition of the series, a tube, e, rises up into thechambers directly over the said partition and forms a communicationbetween the chamber in which it is situated and that immediately belowit, the tube being made to open through the partition on which it restsand to extend up into a circulating groove, serpentine or spiralpassage, G, arranged against the under side of the partition immediatelyabove the tube. Each of these spiral or serpentine passages is formed bya partition, f, curved and eX- tended down from each partition as shownin Figs. 2 and 3. Each tube, e, opens out of one extremity of one of thesaid passages while the other extremity of the said passage has anothertube, g, leading from it through the partition a or c, immediately belowit. The side or portions of either one or both sides of each serpentineor spiral passage are to be made of cloth or other equivalent materialin which a liquid will rise by absorption and capillary action; Themetal or other material 1n which the appa- 4ratus is made, is only askeleton to sustain the passages or tubes made of cloth which form thesaid spiral or serpentine passages. The cloth of the lower part of thesepassages may be dispensed with. These passages of cloth being soarranged that there may be a clear and unobstructed space about them forthe movement of gas or air through the circulating passage.

The lower chamber B, has a tube H, leading into it, such tube being forthe admission of either gas or air into the said chamber. A dischargingpipe I, leads out of the chamber F, such chamber being also providedwith a pipe K, through which naphtha or other liquid volatilehydrocarbon may be introduced into the chamber, F. F urthermore thelower chamber B, is furnished with a discharging pipe L. Each of thepipes K and L, may be supplied with a screw cap or other suitable meansby which it may be opened or closed as circumstances may require.

In preparing this apparatus for the purpose of naphthalizing acombustible gas, the liquid naphtha is to be poured into it through thepipe K. This fluid will rise in the chamber F, to the top of the pipe e,thereof and flow down the said pipe into the chamber E. The naphtha willrise in the said chamber E, to the level of the top of the pipe g, thesurplus flowing down the pipe g, into the chamber D. In this way thenaphtha will Continue to flow from chamber to' chamber until it runs outof the pipe L, the cloth passages at the same time absorbing more orless of the naphtha and raising it by capillary attraction. Afterclosing the pipes K and L, if we suffer common olefiant gas to passthrough the pipe I-I into the chamber, B, it will flow upward throughthe pipe, g, and into the chamber C, or the spiral passage Gr, containedin the said apartment or reservoir as it may be termed. The gas willcirculate through the said passage, and against the surfaces of thefluid in the reservoir and that taken up in the cloth by capillaryattraction, the same causing more or less evaporation of the naphtha andthe absorption of its vapor by the gas. After having performed itscircuit in one chamber the gas will flow into the next chamber above andthere perform a similar circuit, but in a reverse direction, finallyescaping out of that chamber and into the next one, and there beingstill further impregnated with vapor. Finally, the gas will pass intothe upper chamber F, and having been naphthalized will escape from thesaid chamber F, through the pipe I, through one or more burnersconnected with said pipe.

It is well known that the illuminating power of common coal gas duringcombustion of it is greatly enhanced by mixing with it, the vapor ofnaphtha, or other hydrocarbon liquid and that this process is nowextensively adopted in Europe and of late has been introduced to someeXtent into this count-ry.

I do not claim the naphthalizing boxes or contrivances made as describedon pages 145 and 146 of Parnellls applied Chemistry, or any othercontrivance similar to them, my invention being difi'erent from suchcontrivances, as I employ for the passage of gas, spiral or serpentineunobstructed passages made of cloth or any other fibrous or porousmaterial connected With shallow chambers or reservoirs or theirequivalents.

In carrying out my invention, I do not employ a capillary material,which shall so fill the channel or gas passage as to materially obstructthe flow of gas, through the same, and furthermore by my arrangement ofthe gas passage with reference to each chamber and its leading pipes Ieffect such an extended circuit of the gas in contact with the'Vaporizing surfaces as to enable me to bring the whole apparatus into avery small compass in comparison With others in use and having the sameamount of naphthalizing power.

Also I do not claim the apparatus made of metal or other suitablematerial merely, as such solid apparatus is merely the skeleton tosustain the passages or tubes made of cloth which line such solidchambers accurately forming a tubular passage of cloth through which thegas, air, or saturated Vapor is driven, but

Vhat I do claim is- The arranging of tubular passages made of cloth orother similar porous fabric which elevate by capillary action the fluidin the chamber allowing space sufiicient for the passage of the aeriformfluid and allowing complete saturation of the latter in the manner andfor the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature.

JOHN ABSTERDAM.

VVitnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr.

